Minister tasks pharmacists to respond to growing medical demand

Accra, Oct. 7, GNA - Mr Rojo Mettle Nunoo, Deputy Minister of Health, on Wednesday asked pharmacists to reposition their professional practice to meet the substantial demand for medical care, posed by the coverage of the National Health Insurance Scheme.

"Your untapped professional skills in the face of the unmet expectations of the client constitute the platform for refocusing on a new business model for pharmacy practice in Ghana," he said. Mr Nunoo made the request in a speech read on his behalf at the 2010 launch of Continuing Education Training for pharmacists, organised by the Pharmaceutical Society of Ghana (PSGH) in conjunction with the Pharmacy Council (PC) Accra.

"As pharmacist, you should see your training in pharmacy, customer orientation and access to clients as vital to your core business of medicines supply and assisting your clients in the quality use of medicines through counselling, education and support.

"This will provide a good fit with the emerging pharmacy business philosophy that would be driven by client needs, professional satisfaction, business rewards and better relationship with other care providers," he stressed.

Mr Nunoo called on PSGH to strengthen the academic capacity of training institutions and increase participation of pharmaceutical personnel in Continuous Professional Development (CPD) and post graduate programmes.

He tasked the society to develop quality assurance systems for pre-service education and CPD programmes.

"Continuous education of the health care professional is key to improved health outcomes."

He said the Ministry of Health lauds the collaboration between the PSGH, PC and the National Malaria Control Programme (NMCP) of the Ghana Health Service in making the nationwide training of pharmacists on the malaria policy, mandatory for re-licensure in 2011.